Republic Day of 2019 is going to be special for India as it has invited US President Donald Trump to be chief guest for the next year’s Republic Day parade and celebrations. This can be called as a diplomatic coup. As per the reports by one of the renowned newspapers, the invitation was sent in April this year. It is also claimed that Trump administration was “favourably considering” the invite while no official response has been received yet.
Every country has struggled to cope with the mercurial and irascible leader and India has learnt the hard way that it is hardly an exception. There are also questions that will India try to figure out Trump’s priority list like it certainly did in Obama’s as there are several issues. Like, tussle over trade tariffs, America’s reluctance to acknowledge India-Iran ties and proposed deal for purchase of S-400 missile defence system from Russia.
India is expecting waiver from sanctions the US is threatening to impose on those importing crude from Iran. Even the US postponed the 2+2 dialogue because Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decided to visit North Korea on the scheduled date. This resulted modified the erratic nature of the Trump administration for Indian authorities.
This invitation aimed to iron out the differences with Trump administration. It is also believed that differences between the two countries are not insurmountable.
Modi’s Guests at Republic Day event
Barack Obama had also attended Modi’s Republic Day invitation in 2015. Later, French president Francois Hollande in 2016, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2017. And in 2018, all 10 Asean leaders attended R-Day event.
